By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
On the heels of a recent economic development announcement within the community, the city of Whitewater has inked a deal with a business start-up in the hopes of bolstering civic engagement.
The Common Council on June 21 approved a plan to enter into a $3,000 annual agreement with POLCO, a technology company that intermingles public policy with a crowdsourcing platform for residents of a community.
The council’s stamp of approval on a municipal agreement with POLCO follows a recent decision by a separate governing body within the city. Last month, the Community Development Authority (CDA) issued POLCO a grant and loan, totaling $110,000, to help facilitate a move to the Innovation Center.
The city’s contractual arrangement with POLCO for its services is at least partially linked to the recent CDA decision. The startup is offering Whitewater a so-called community partner package at a reduced rate of $3,000 annually; it is valued at $6,000 annually.
“As part of their funding award (by the CDA), POLCO has been encouraged to work with Whitewater as a community partner,” City Manager Cameron Clapper said. “(POLCO) will provide online services at a significant discount.”
Contingency funds will be used to fund POLCO’s services in the second half of this year. Moving forward, it will be a line item in municipal budgets.
POLCO’s online tools are designed to give a community’s constituents more ease in offering input on proposed policy decisions. The goal, Clapper said, is to “help local leaders make decisions that benefit the silent majority, instead of the vocal few” who typically weigh in at municipal meetings.
More details about POLCO are available at www.polco.us.
